This invention relates to recessed lighting fixtures having locking assemblies.
Recessed lighting fixtures typically are mounted in the space above the ceiling of a room with the light projecting from the ceiling to illuminate the room below. To cover the hole and provide an attractive decorative finish, a trim ring usually is mounted to the fixture or the fixture""s housing and pulled flush to the lower surface of the ceiling. The lighting fixture frame can be placed in the space above the ceiling either before or after the ceiling is installed. If the lighting fixture is installed before the ceiling is installed, the frame may be, for example, nailed to the ceiling joists with little difficulty. The housing then may be attached to the frame, and the trim ring may be attached to the housing or frame. If the fixture is placed in the ceiling space after the ceiling is installed, the installer must cut a hole in the ceiling material and mount the frame to the joists or the ceiling material. Once the frame is mounted, the housing can be attached to the frame, for example, using spring clips. The trim ring then is mounted to the housing or frame.
In one general aspect, a recessed lighting fixture for mounting to a ceiling includes a housing, a frame, and at least one locking assembly. The housing includes a side wall, an opening, a lip extending outwardly around at least a portion of a circumference of the opening, and a slot in the side wall. The frame has an aperture sized for slidably receiving the housing. The at least one locking assembly is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position and is mountable in the slot. When in the locked position, the locking assembly exerts a force to compress the ceiling between the lip and the frame.
In other implementations, the recessed lighting fixture may include one or more of the following features. For example, the locking assembly may further include a handle and a spring lever. The handle is movable between the locked position and the unlocked position, and the spring lever includes a first portion that is connected to a second portion at a first angle such that moving the handle to the locked position forces the second portion of the spring lever against the frame in a downward direction.
The spring lever may further include a third portion connected to the second portion at a second angle such that moving the handle to the locked position forces the third portion of the spring lever against the frame in a lateral direction. The locking assembly may be configured to be movable along a length of the slot.
The handle may have a first end and a second end that includes at least one cam-shaped lobe that exerts a force against the side wall when the locking assembly is in the locked position. The second end may further include a generally flat region that is adjacent to the cam-shaped lobe and the locking assembly may be slidable within the slot when the handle is in the unlocked position.
The locking assembly may further include a retaining clip and a hinge pin that passes through the retaining clip, the spring lever, and the handle. The retaining clip may be configured to be positioned against an outside surface of the side wall and the handle may be configured to be positioned against an inside surface of the side wall. The retaining clip may include compressible legs that are compressed against an outside surface of the side wall when the handle is positioned against an inside surface of the side wall.
The recessed lighting fixture may further include a second locking assembly and a second slot in the side wall. The slot may extend through the lip. The lip may extend around the entire circumference of the opening. An adjustable lamp assembly may be mounted within the housing and configured to adjust a rotational position of the lamp assembly and a directional position of the lamp assembly.
In another general aspect, a recessed lighting fixture may be mounted in a ceiling. The recessed lighting fixture may include a housing, a frame and at least one locking assembly. The housing includes a side wall, an opening, a lip extending outwardly around at least a portion of a circumference of the opening, and a slot in the side wall. The frame includes an aperture sized for slidably receiving the housing. The locking assembly is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position and is mountable in the slot to exert a force to compress the ceiling between the lip and the frame when in the locked position. Mounting the fixture in the ceiling includes positioning the frame in the ceiling, sliding the housing into the frame, and moving the locking assembly to the locked position to exert a force to compress the ceiling between the lip and the frame.
In other implementations, mounting the recessed lighting fixture in the ceiling may include one or more of the following features. For example, positioning the frame in the ceiling may further include passing the frame through a hole in the ceiling and positioning the aperture above the hole in the ceiling. Mounting the fixture in the ceiling also may include adjusting the position of the lip of the housing relative to a lower surface of the ceiling to compensate for a thickness of the ceiling. The locking assembly may be slidable within the slot and adjusting the position of the lip may further include slidably adjusting a position of the locking assembly in the slot.
The locking assembly may further include a handle and a spring lever. The handle is movable between the locked position and the unlocked position. The spring lever includes a first portion connected to a second portion at a first angle such that moving the locking assembly to the locked position comprises rotating the handle to force the second portion of the spring lever against the frame in a downward direction. The handle may have a first end and a second end, the second end may include at least one cam-shaped lobe, and moving the handle to the locked position causes the cam-shaped lobe to exert a force against the side wall. The second end may further include a generally flat region adjacent to the cam-shaped lobe and moving the handle to the unlocked position causes the locking assembly to be slidable within the slot.
In further implementations, the recessed lighting fixture mounted in the ceiling may include any of the features described above.
Recessed lighting fixtures use, for example, spring clips to secure the fixture housing or frame. In addition, the spring clips rely on the ceiling material for support. The force of the spring clips increases as the ceiling thickness increases, which can cause some ceiling materials to break or fracture under some circumstances. Moreover, the spring clips also can be difficult to remove for inspection or adjustment of the fixture. Typically, installation requires tools in order to secure the fixture.
The recessed lighting fixture with locking assembly can be installed through a ceiling opening and provides a simplified, tool-free method of retaining or adjusting the fixture housing. The fixture""s locking assembly, housing lip, and frame maintain a constant pressure on the ceiling around the circumference of the opening through a range of ceiling thicknesses. The cam action of the locking assembly increases pressure on the ceiling as the assembly is locked into place, which securely retains the lighting fixture to the ceiling. The locking assembly can be conveniently operated from inside the fixture housing to cause the spring lever to apply pressure onto the fixture frame. This feature distributes the retaining forces around the circumference of the opening to provide a constant and uniform retention force, which minimizes the potential for damage to the ceiling.
The details of one or more implementations of the recessed lighting fixture are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the recessed light fixture will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.